Kellen
According to a report out of Re/code, you and I weren’t the only ones in the industry who had a problem with what Samsung tried to do during CES with its Magazine UX on the new PRO line of Galaxy tablets. Google was apparently “dismayed” by it as well, as it stood as the ultimate departure from the vision of Android that Google has worked so hard on over the years. This report claims that the two companies began working out a “series of broad agreements” during that same week to hopefully reel in Samsung and their take on Android to better align it with Google’s.
As you can imagine, the exact details of these agreements have not been made public, but sources suggest that they could involve the killing-off of Magazine UX for future products, while also eliminating the suite of Samsung Apps that have flooded devices in recent years. Google would have Samsung push Google Play apps instead of their own music, app, and movie services, all of which most Android enthusiasts wouldn’t touch with a 30-foot stick. The group of apps disappearing could also include ChatON and WatchON.
The report claims that there is a growing threat to Google from manufacturers who are putting out Android devices that lack their services, so by partnering with Samsung to continue to push them, that threat could be diminished with Samsung as the leader in Android by a long shot.
Keep in mind that Google and Samsung also announced a patent cross-licensing deal this week.
We won’t know the effects of these supposed meetings for some time, I’d imagine. But in a perfect world, it could mean that Samsung will dial back TouchWiz, let Android stand on its own, and kill off water droplet sounds and whistles for good.
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